Al-'Ibrahim (The Family of Abraham)

The Family of Ibrahim is mentioned at two places. Allah (God) has bestowed a very special place to the family of Ibrahim A (Abraham). Allah (God) has bestowed upon his family great honor and respect, knowledge and wisdom, intelligence and understanding, wealth, kingdom and sovereignty. The family of Ibrahim A (Abraham) has the distinction of being the religious leader of the entire world.

Allah chose Adam, Nuh (Noah), the family of Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and the family of ‘Imran above the ‘Alamîn (mankind and jinn) (of their times). Surah (Chapter) Al ‘Imran  (The Family of ‘Imran) The Qur-an 3:33

Or do they envy men (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and his followers) for what Allah has given them of His Bounty? Then We had already given the family of Ibrahim (Abraham) the Book and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah - Divine Revelation to those Prophets not written in the form of a book), and conferred upon them a great kingdom. Surah (Chapter) an-Nisa”  (The Woman) The Qur-an 4:54

The name Al-Ibrahim (Family of Abraham) is a collective and comprehensive word, which encompasses two branches of the children of Ibrahim A (Abraham). Ibrahim had three wives.  The children from these wives settled in three different regions.  They prospered and flourished greatly.

Ibrahim A (Abraham) was married to Sara (Sarah) and lived in a place called Ur. They were forced to leave their town when Ibrahim A (Abraham) began inviting his people to the path of Allah (God). They did not have any offspring after many years of their marriage. They moved to Misr (Egypt) where Sara (Sarah) asked Ibrahim A (Abraham) to marry Hajar (Hagar) for getting an offspring. Soon after their marriage, Hajar (Hagar) gave birth to Isma'il A (Ishmael).

Due to the differences between his wives, Sara (Sarah) forced Ibrahim A (Abraham) to take Hajar (Hagar) and her infant son Isma'il A (Ishmael) to some far away place in Arabia. As Allah (God) commanded him, he left them at a barren valley which had no vegetation or water.

Allah (God) surfaced the Zamzam well to quench the thirst of Isma'il A (Ishmael) when their supply of water left by Ibrahim A (Abraham) ran out. Hajar (Hagar) and Isma'il A (Ishmael) settled there and served water to the caravans that traveled between Sham (Syria) and Yaman (Yemen). Several Arab tribes settled down there because of water and city of Makkah was established. Hajar (Hagar) and Isma'il A (Ishmael) were the first inhabitants of Makkah.

Isma'il A (Ishmael) had twelve sons Nabath, Qaydar, Adbil, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tayma, Yetur, Naphish and Kedemah.

All these brothers lived in and around Makkah. These twelve brothers were the ancestors of the main twelve Arab tribes. The Quraysh tribe are also descendents of Isma'il A (Ishmael). The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad S also belongs to Banu (Family of) Hashim of the Quraysh tribe.

In the meantime, Sara (Sarah) gave birth to Ishaq (Isaac) A when she was quite old. Later, Ishaq  had two sons, Yaqub (Israel or Jacob) A who was the grandfather of the children of Israel and the second son was Isu (Esau) who was also known by the name of Udam (Edom).